Are You Putting Your Son at Risk for Cancer? An Editorial

I came across an article today (Oct. 18, 2011) mentioning that Reuters reported the CDC’s acknowledgement of the dramatic drop in those receiving the HPV vaccine. The article pointed out that once again, women were the focus of responsibility when it comes to being vaccinated and that not Reuters, or any other news organizations for that matter, ever seem to mention that men are capable of being vaccinated as well.

I’ve previously mentioned, that much like birth control, the burden continues to be placed on the female’s shoulders in this regard.

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Mothers of young boys need to start taking responsibility for getting their sons vaccinated as well. After all, it is all of these young girls with whom their sons will eventually be involved, isn’t it? And, with the increase in oropharyngeal HPV cancers mainly affecting men, perhaps some degree of fear tactics is the only thing that will motivate some people.

While I wrote an article on this subject shortly after the CDC Update was released, what I find so amazing is that it took Reuters nearly two months to announce what the CDC had released on August 25th.

The CDC and associated agencies have done a pathetic job with the millions they have been allocated by Congress to educate both physicians and the public about HPV and the existing vaccines. Most women still learn about HPV at the time of diagnosis and didn't know a vaccine even existed before that.

The CDC, in a letter directly to me, claims to utilize the latest bioanalysis and statistical data when determining how to address these issues. While that may sound influential, it certainly hasn’t influenced the number of those receiving the vaccine. It’s just more government mumbo jumbo to justify wasting more taxpayer dollars with very little to show for it.

This is also again, in large part, the result of Merck having dropped the ball since its initial Gardasil commercials.

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